The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-11

Yon; ana grain DlnS were emptled Oh
their grain, haystacks toppled over and
often burned. Indeed, the most brutal
of soldierv could not have caused
greater havoc, nor have been so dan
gerous to our persons. Still had my
pistols-a pair of Colts navy revolvers-
that by great good fortune and much
ingenuity l kept from them. Once
had them out cleaning, when looking
up, saw rebel squad within fifty
yards of the house and coming rapidly
towards US. l had no time to put them
in the usual place, nor would it do tC
have them found, for it would subject
US to much abuse. and certain loss OF
the weapons. But Lilly, God bless her
was equal to the emergency. She saw
them too, and throwing a shawl negli
| gently over her shoulders as though
chilly, she raised the cushion of the big,
old rocking chair, put the pistols under
! it and sat down on them, making as
nice a looking invalid as you usually
see. She had rather delicate appear
anCe, for fright and privation had told
on her, as on the rest of US, and they
saw nothing strange or unusual in her,
and though they searched the house
from cellar to garnet, Notwithstanding
their brutality, not one of them sus-
pected the ruse, or interfereCH With the
invalid. But the pistols did not remain
there long after the company bad gone,
and Lilly was suddenly healed of her
sickness, and they were put In another
place OF hiding. That was only one of
many adventures about arms.
John Thornton had all this time been
persistent in his suit for Lilly's hand,
though his calls were not very frequent
but such as the eXigencies and demands
of the guerilla warfare hs followed al
lowed him opportunity. But 1 saw with
pleasure that she thought little, or
nothing, of him as lover. Yet he still
persisted in his suit. At last he put
the important and momentous question.
and was politely but firmly refused. 1t
was done in q mild, ladylIke, gentle
tone, as it was possible to use, for she
we'll knew his power for evil and for
injury to US if so inclined, and she
feared the man. 1 myself feared that
we would have serious trouble with
him, for strange stories had began to
circulate to his disadvantage, and it
was seriously said he would stop at no
enormity to accomplish purpose or
remove an enemy from his way. 1t
might be that these stories were exagger-
speak of each other. But l knew he
meant mischief when she weepingIy
told me of his threats, made at her re-
fusal of his hand. He swore she should
be his wife, or mistress, if he had to
wade through fire and blood
to win her. Though theatrical
and tragic in manners, l knew
he meant all he said. [ knew he had
full power to make good his words, as
at that time the rebel cause was in the
ascendant and Price and McCulloch
were sweeping everything before them
in the lower portion of the State.
A week or two afterwards we were
startled and greatly alarmed in the
middle of the night by the rapid tramp
of body of horse, and when at their
sudden stoppage we looked out, We saw
our house surrounded by large COM
pany of mounted men. That they were
s followers we had I'D doubt,
or if we had doubt, it was soon set at
rest by the bursting in of our doors and
the appearance Uf Thornton himself,
with several of his half-drunken COM
panions. Thornton himself seemed
filed with liquor and flushed with pas
sion, and my forebodings were full of
trouble to my loved ones, as bis harsh,
loud tones rose on the still night air
even before [ saw him.
Bring out the traitor! Bring out
the traitor!" he yelled, and [ almost
found myself in the hands of
and surrounded by crowd of
yelling, drunken, swearing and des-
perate men, whom report sadly
belied. if they we're not guilty
of all the crimes in the decalogne. Most
Of them were drunk too just in that
half maudlin, desperate, not-caring
state, when crime becomes easy. 1t is
Just possible some may have pretended
to be more drunken than they really
we're, that they might have q pretense
for greater barbarity-for l have found
that even the most depraved have q
of Wrongdoing-or rather
q latent feeling of shame that is often
powerful enough to cause them to seek
excuse and subterfuge for their evil
dee DIS. But be this as it may, the situa-
ton in which l was placed was both
trying and dangerous. More than
score of men had, at different times,
been lynched in that neighborhood. 1t
was very well known, too, that most of
the unfortunate sufferers had fallen in
of some private grudge.
personal enmity being at the bottom
though the flendish perpetrators were
often most loud in their professions of
patriotism-talkipg duty to country,
honor to the old aag-and how repug
nant-how extremely disagreeabie it
was to employ force for their coun-
try's good No! Nothing but the
welfare and success of the good
short of actual neces-
sity could justify such acts Yet even
while talking-while talking purity and
patriotism into the reluctant ear of
One-time neighbor, red-handed murder
was by their sides, and the gloomy
darkness of night was often illuminated
by the incendiary fires their hands had
helped to light.
The brutal mob did not allow me to
put on my clothes, saying in cruel jest
would not need them long anyhow.
They jerked me out of the house into
the yard unclad, though the night was
cold and the air was cutting. for il was
ate in the fall and frost had already
set in.
80" cried Thornton, putting his
face forward close to mine, 1--WE have
got you, have we, you damned aboli-
zionist? You'll set the Feds on US
again, will your Not by aSgood deal,
Mr.. Man. You'll stretch hemp to-
night"